


Icarus of the Machine

by uzumaki_rakku



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Gen, M/M, Markus if you weren't trying to make him fall in love with you well good luck, PATH UNLOCKED: ETERNAL DEVOTION, Simon deserves BETTER, Stratford Tower (Detroit: Become Human), The Stratford Tower Chapter (Detroit: Become Human), because it's literally impossible for him not to love you forever now, preslash, so I wrote it for him, tandem skydiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2019-07-24 00:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16169474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uzumaki_rakku/pseuds/uzumaki_rakku
Summary: Markus saw in his pale face a kind of quiet dignity that made him think, fleetingly, of winged statues he had once seen when Carl had taken him to a museum.[Stratford Tower alternative ending]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SIMON DESERVED BETTER
> 
> This idea's been eating my brain since I posted [this thing](http://fuurin-senpai.tumblr.com/post/177799557581) to my tumblr, so... I finally wrote it. Now it's either going to stop eating my brain, or continue to eat at it until I write a continuation ;w;

“I can't move my legs,” Simon said, his LED a solid circle of red.

 

“Okay, don't worry,” Markus told him, looking into those wide, frightened eyes. “We're going to get you back...”

 

The words felt hollow to his own ears. North and Josh were arguing over what they should do, but all Markus could think of was how all of this was because of him.

 

Making the broadcast had been his idea. Letting the station employee get away had also been his decision. He knew it was because he’d spared the man that the alarm had been sounded, and SWAT officers had burst into the broadcast room before they could escape.

 

_“We can’t leave him behind – we have to shoot him.”_

_“That’s murder! We can’t kill him, he’s one of us!”_

 

Simon hadn’t really wanted to do this. Had been extremely hesitant because of all the risks it entailed, and yet he’d supported Markus anyway. He was one of the oldest members of Jericho, his opinions respected by all, and he’d still chosen to trust in someone who had only just joined them. He was important to all of them, the mediator between North’s aggression and Josh’s passivity. Whenever the other two had disagreed over Markus’s plans, Simon had always been the one to break the stalemate and choose what he believed was best for their collective wellbeing.

 

Simon himself had survived for so long because he knew where to strike the balance, to fly neither too low nor too high. He’d chosen to believe in Markus’s dreams – and been burned for it.

 

“Markus, it’s your call,” North said. She and Josh had both turned to him, waiting for his decision. He pulled up his preconstruction programme to buy himself more time.

 

Simon had looked at him the whole time, as North and Josh debated while Markus hesitated, unsure. His LED was still entirely red, yet his expression was calm. Markus saw in his pale face a kind of quiet dignity that made him think, fleetingly, of winged statues he had once seen when Carl had taken him to a museum.

 

Alive or dead, Simon deserved better than to be left behind.

 

Markus had been given two options. He considered both, and then chose neither.

 

“Get your parachutes on and carry him to the edge,” Markus told them. “Jump, and I’ll follow.”

 

Simon’s calm façade cracked. “Markus, what are you – ” he began, startled, but the other two were already moving in accordance with Markus’s instructions.

 

Markus ignored all of Simon’s protests as he swiftly put on his own parachute and joined them at the railing. He could hear people thundering up the stairs, banging on the locked roof access door. Josh and North jumped first, and Markus hoisted Simon up into a standing position.

 

“You’ll have to pull the cord,” he said as he wrapped both arms securely around Simon’s waist, lifting him a little off the ground with ease. “I’ll have my hands full.”

 

“Markus – ”

 

SWAT officers burst onto the roof.

 

“I’m not letting go,” he promised, and leapt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Simon ^^^]
> 
> [Relationship status: ETERNAL DEVOTION]
> 
> [Path unlocked: Lover]
> 
> \--
> 
> Psst: listen to the Skydiving track from Kingsman OST, it sets a great mood ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrote a bit more :>

Simon fumbled for the parachute cord as they fell through the air, thirium pump working on overdrive. If he failed, if he somehow messed up…

 

1.5 seconds later the canopy opened above them, drastically slowing their descent. Even so they were still falling much faster than the others, two full-sized androids sharing a single-person parachute, and Simon was absolutely terrified.

 

A single android was already above the average weight of a human. What if the two of them were too heavy for a single parachute to bear? Were they falling too fast? Simon wished he knew, but even if he did, there was no way he could possibly make Markus let go. Even if it was necessary for his survival.

 

“I’ve got you,” Markus said, his voice just visible above the air rushing past their audio processors. Simon took hold of the steering lines with shaking hands and pulled, trying to direct them towards a better landing spot as the ground drew closer and closer, but then Markus suddenly shifted them and—

 

“Oof!”

 

They tumbled to the ground, Markus having manoeuvred them so he could cushion Simon’s landing. For a few moments they lay there in a heap, winded, then North and Josh were landing nearby and hurrying over to check on them.

 

“Markus! Are you okay?” Simon tried to push himself up, but his arms felt like jelly. He made another attempt, and with Josh’s support he managed to get himself off Markus and into a sitting position beside him.

 

“Fine…” Markus groaned, but managed to sit up. “You alright?”

 

“I still can’t move my legs,” Simon said quietly. People were beginning to stop and stare at the four of them, and it was setting off his panic response like nothing else.

 

“We need to get out of here,” North said, not looking at him.

 

Markus nodded. “We’ll have better chances of evading capture if we split up,” he said briskly. “Give me a hand, will you?” And then Josh and North were lifting Simon up, placing him on Markus’s back.

 

“Markus, you’re injured,” Simon said, as strong arms hooked underneath his knees.

 

Markus turned his head slightly to give him an incredulous look. “Pot and kettle,” he retorted. _“You’re_ injured.”

 

“Come on, let’s go,” urged Josh. “It’ll be easier to go undetected once you guys have changed out of these clothes.”

 

 _‘You guys go on ahead,’_ Markus sent to Josh and North as he hurried along the street with Simon on his back, following the escape route Josh had planned out for them. _‘Don’t wait for us at the rendezvous point, we’re taking the long way around.’_

 

 _‘Good idea,’_ Josh replied. _‘How’s Simon doing?’_

 

 _‘He’s on low power mode to reduce the thirium leakage,’_ Markus answered. _‘We’ll have to figure out something for repairs later.’_

_‘Be careful,’_ North said.

 

_‘We will.’_

 

 It was still snowing by the time Markus and Simon made it to the rendezvous point, for which Markus was glad as it made passers-by less inclined to notice what was going on around them. He slipped inside the abandoned house, careful not to hit Simon’s head against the low doorframe, then secured the door and scanned the area before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

 

“We made it, Simon,” he said quietly, setting the other android down on the battered old couch in what had once been someone’s living room. “We’re safe for now.”

 

Simon’s LED flickered as he came out of low power mode, looking around with some confusion before remembering what had happened. “Oh,” he said quietly. “Are you okay, Markus?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Markus replied, pulling out a bag of clothes from a cabinet. Something small and metallic gleamed as he unzipped the bag, and he recognized North’s hairpin clipped onto the collar of the first shirt. He pocketed it, then joined Simon on the couch. “How are you feeling?”

 

“…Less scared than I was earlier,” Simon replied after a pause. “But I don’t know how bad it is.” He looked down at the bullet wound in his leg, LED flashing red again.

 

“We’ll fix you up,” Markus promised, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Everything’s going to be fine, so just trust me, okay?”

 

Simon looked into Markus’ eyes, and nodded slowly. “Okay,” he whispered. “I trust you.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Simon ^^^]
> 
> [Relationship status: ETERNAL DEVOTION]
> 
> [Path unlocked: Lover]
> 
> \--
> 
> Psst: listen to the Skydiving track from Kingsman OST, it sets a great mood ;)


End file.
